Conquering Eyebrow Myths One Arch At A Time

Eyebrows seem to be the one thing I can’t figure out. I understand the difference between gel and liquid eyeliner. I figured out that lipstick in lighter colors complements my skin tone. But, eyebrows? Nope!

I actually have really long, full eyebrows, something I know is an asset. But, they grow fast, and I can never seem to remember where the actual “arch” is supposed to be. Luckily for me, we had an expert drop in to conquer some myths about eyebrows. Joey Healy is an eyebrow expert in New York City who received his esthetician’s license from the Aveda Institute and now runs his own successful business. Here are some of the myths we conquered together:

Common Eyebrow Myths Debunked

If I had written this post before talking to Mr. Healy, I would have listed one myth as “Grooming Eyebrows Shouldn’t Hurt” and named all the reasons why it totally does. However, now that I’ve interviewed an expert, I realize that having your eyebrows groomed doesn’t have to be painful.

Not only do I have sensitive skin, but it has reacted poorly to waxing in the past, leaving me a bit timid about the whole eyebrow shaping issue. However, for people like me with sensitive skin, Mr. Healy recommends only using tweezers because they never touch the skin. And, in order to make it not hurt, Mr. Healey says, “Hold the skin taut and make quick, confident pulls in the direction of hair growth” or “you can apply counter-pressure to the skin post-pluck by immediately applying light pressure with your finger on the area.” And, as another tip, avoid getting your eyebrows plucked just before your menstrual cycle since your skin is more sensitive then.

Myth #2: Grooming Eyebrows is Expensive!

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I’ve always thought that getting a pro to shape my eyebrows every week would be the ultimate luxury, but Mr. Healy says that eyebrow grooming doesn’t have to break the bank. It actually takes four weeks for hair to reach the surface after a grooming so you could schedule an appointment with a pro like Mr. Healy once every four weeks. Mr. Healy also suggests that you take pictures after getting your eyebrows groomed so you have a reference point.

He says: “Invest in a pair of good slanted tweezers and attempt to keep the design lines clean by lightly removing new growth once a week. If you are vigilant, you can go a very long time before you’re calling a pro back in!” That sounds like a plan to me!

Like Mr. Healy said, your hair will take four weeks to reach the surface. For it to grow all the way back, he explains that it will take about 56 days. (This is true whether you tweeze, wax, or thread!) Try to avoid chemicals or rubbing your eyebrows if you are stressed. Both of these things can cause your eyebrows to fall out. But, so long as you are a young woman with normal health, over-plucking is not a beauty emergency. It just takes a little patience!

MYTH: Eyebrows Should Start On A Vertical Line Measured From the Outside of Your Nose

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If you follow this old school rule, your nose could actually appear larger than it really, truly is, and who wants that? Not me! Mr. Healy explains: “Eyebrow shape is determined by bone structure, not cartilage,” so find the best starting point by “holding a pencil vertically up to either side of your nose bone. At this point, the brows should begin in a clean, squared off manner, ideally at a 90 degree angle.”